Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu laid the foundation stone of Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School (RGDBS) in Amlehar village of the Nadaun Assembly constituency, near here, on Sunday. The school would be built at a cost of Rs 25 crore on 125 kanal land.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said the state government had planned big changes in education sector.
The government is considering creating three separate directorates of education — one for pre-primary to class second, second for classes up to XII and third for colleges. He added that the decision on restructuring of education directorates could be taken in near future.
He said that Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School would bring drastic changes in the field of education. The construction work of schools has been started in 10 Assembly constituencies.
Sukhu said, “It is the vision of the state government to provide quality education to the children studying in government schools in rural areas.
Hence, we are opening Rajiv Gandhi day boarding schools in a phased manner in every Assembly constituency, where all the modern facilities will be available under one roof”.
The Chief Minister said the previous BJP government opened 600 schools without making proper provision for staff.
“Our government decided that Rajiv Gandhi day boarding schools would not be opened until provision for adequate staff is made,” he said adding that due to policies of the previous BJP government, quality of education had gone down and Himachal Pradesh had reached the 21st position in the country.
Sukhu said the state government has sanctioned 11,833 posts in the Education Department in the last two years and over 3,196 teachers have been appointed so far.
He said the government is recruiting 6,297 Early Childhood Care Education Tutors, 5,291 TGTs, Shastris, JBTs and 245 Special Educators.
Sukhu said that state government is strengthening the rural economy. The state government has started procurement of cow milk at Rs 45 and buffalo milk at Rs 55 per litre.
The maize produced through natural farming was being purchased at Rs 30 and wheat at Rs 40 per kilogram. He added that government has procured 4000 metric ton of maize.
The Chief Minister said that MNREGA wages were raised from Rs 240 to Rs 300. The present state government is trying to provide quality facilities to the people of the state.
World class health care technology is being set up at the IGMC, Shimla, and Tanda, Hamirpur and Nerchowk medical colleges of Himachal Pradesh and AIIMS.
He announced construction of new building for Amlehar Gram Panchayat.
Congress leader Subhash Dadhwalia, Director of Higher Education Dr Amarjeet Sharma, SP Hamirpur Bhagat Singh Thakur and Additional District Magistrate Hamirpur Rahul Chauhan were also present on this occasion.
